Labyrinth 2012

Labyrinth 2012The name of a festival is a crucial part of its existence. It embodies the underlying concept of the party, and just as importantly, the vibe. While other electronic music festivals such as Unsound, Nachtdigital and Elevate all do a pretty damn good job of setting the scene, Labyrinth gets it dead-on.

Now in its 12th installment, this meticulously crafted maze is shaped from entrance to exit by Tokyo-based creators Mindgames. Over the years it has received one five-star review after another, and has repeatedly been picked out as September's best on RA, so I'll save you the official introduction. Labyrinth is simply a quality festival. If we take a look at the five points of the pentagon chart that together make up a top-notch party, the organizers have got them all covered: Solid concept, beautiful backdrop, appropriate layout, high-quality sound, good music.

This year was no different. 2012 saw the Labyrinth family welcome the likes of Shed, Bee Mask, Petar Dundov, Svreca, Outer Space and Dasha Rush for debut performances. However it was Uwe Schmidt who fittingly started things off under his new Atom TM Alpha txt ambient moniker, striking a sharp contrast to his playful yet driving techno set last year when he teamed up with Tobias Freund. Things quickly escalated as the baton was passed on to Appleblim and then Shed, who brought the dance floor to heights usually reserved for the following day's program.

Petar Dundov started around lunchtime the following day, showcasing both his DJing and his live set, the latter of which left the festival wide-eyed (this writer even noticed one or two teary eyes) and impressed with his unique use of multi-layering in a synth-filled sonic journey. Some may have been wondering whether the next artist to enter the DJ teepee, Spanish powerhouse Svreca, would start his set with his signature beatless and cinematic soundscapes. Curiosity was put to bed as he dropped a thumping 4/4 from the off. Anyone who has listened to any of his mixes before will know that he is a techno tour-de-force, his distinct sound as stylish as it is intelligent. He certainly didn't disappoint, leaving the floor with a sense of satisfied anticipation ahead of the climax of the day's timetable.

Peter Van Hoesen then took the helm in a "hybrid" set combining his own productions into his DJing, and utterly destroyed the festival. Although his aim was clearly to wear the soles off of every person on site, he never overdid it, maintaining a sense of sophistication throughout. It was up to Outer Space to then pick up the pieces, and reset the mood before the next day.

Dasha Rush's performance the next morning showed a clear understanding that each set was a piece of a greater agenda. After her sonic wake-up call, Fred P built up the intensity through his own injection of groove. Labyrinth favorite Donato Dozzy took the closing slot, which Van Hoesen played last year, and took the floor under his wing for an oh-so-short four-and-a-half hours, before sending the crowd into a frenzy with Aphex Twin's "Didgeridoo" in a fitting end to what remains one of the best festivals in the world.

Review hardly does it justice. PVH, Svreca and Dozzy literally catapulted everyone entirely to the next level. Amazing, confounding once in 10 year set from Dozzy. PVH just behind him. PVHand Svreca did blow the place apart on the Sunday night.